


Friction

by JoAsakura



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: M/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-28
Updated: 2012-08-28
Packaged: 2017-11-13 01:20:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/497836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoAsakura/pseuds/JoAsakura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Sanctuary, Kaidan needs to let go of the anger eating away at him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Friction

**Author's Note:**

> A ficlet thing for Zweirzodudle on tumblr that grew a bit XD

Kaidan had a dangerous habit when it came to Shepard. 

At some point, the Commander had completely bypassed all of Kaidan's carefully constructed internal barriers and firewalls.

And that was dangerous, because Kaidan was developing a tendency to tell Shepard whatever was on his mind when he was angry. It was dangerous because when he closed his eyes, he could still see the Commander flinch as Kaidan blurted out on Mars that he didn't know what Shepard was.

He didn't catch himself raging after Sanctuary until he realised Shepard was trying to talk him down. He thought he'd worked through his issues with Cerberus - at least where Shepard had been concerned - but the revulsion he'd felt at seeing the conversion chambers on Sanctuary suddenly tangled with the old demon fear of what lurked beneath Shepard's skin.

Kaidan caught himself before that tidbit could leave his lips and snapped something else at Shepard instead. Angry at Shepard for seeing him like this, and angry at him that he'd somehow disabled his internal filters. Angry at Shepard for that understanding nod and the fact that the comforting hand he brought to Kaidan's shoulder hesitated, then fell ineffectually at his side.

Angry because he could see Shepard wanted to yell at him, wanted to smack him as much as hold him, and couldn't bring himself to do any of it.

But he was mostly angry with himself. He was a Sentinel - the rock, the unmovable with his roots deep in the earth, and he'd let his calm break. He was angry at himself because he knew Shepard still wasn't sleeping after Thessia. Angry there was this formless friction between them.

"Sorry," Kaidan blurted out, and he meant it. "I... I just need to work through this."

"I understand," Shepard said with a nod. "I wish I could say 'take all the time you need' but... take what we have now and get yourself sorted." There was a moment of silence, and Kaidan could almost hear Shepard thinking. Then, "You know where to find me." 

~~

He didn't go find Shepard. 

The Commander was in his quarters, nursing a glass of homebrew vodka, when Traynor's voice blipped over the intercom. "Sir? Lieutenant Cortez needs you down in the shuttle bay. He says it's an... ah... 'almost-emergency'."

"On my way,Traynor. Thanks." He set the glass down, then sighed and knocked back a throat-searing swig.

"EDI, want to fill me in on what's going on downstairs?" He asked as he stepped into the lift. 

"I can give you three guesses, Shepard," She purred back.

"EDI," Shepard warned and she made an excellent approximation of a disappointed sigh.

"The Major and Lieutenant Vega are... sparring," She added the last word after a pause Shepard knew damn well was for effect and not consideration.

So, when he stepped off the lift, fully expecting a brawl, he wasn't disappointed. 

Cortez met him by the lift with an apologetic shrug. He couldn't blame him. Steve wasn't a big man, and the pilot would've been badly injured trying to step in in an attempt to separate the two men currently trying to kill each other in the bay.

He thought about shockwaving the two of them apart, but EDI had chastised him enough times about using his powers aboard ship that he immediately shelved the idea as he strode over and grabbed them each by the shoulder, physically separating them. Shepard knew he was digging in hard enough to leave bruises on them both - he so rarely used his full strength outside of combat for fear of hurting someone - but he wanted to get their attntion. He shouted in Russian first, then quickly repeated himself in english.

"What the HELL are you two doing?"

Both Vega and Kaidan were immediately abashed. "Shepard," Kaidan squared his shoulders as blood dribbled out of his nose. "As ranking officer, I .."

"It was my fault, Commander. I egged him on and.." Vega blurted out over him, lip swollen.

"I totally broke regs and.." Kaidan started again.

"Shut up. Both of you," Shepard sighed. "We're all tense." He let them go and stalked back to the lift. "Just don't take it out on each other."

"Shepard." Kaidan jogged after him.

"Major."

"I'm sorry. For this. For before," he said softly. "I know better than this."

"I know, Kaidan." Shepard stepped into the left, then moved to the side to make room for the Major. Kaidan took the opening and sighed as the door slid shut.

"You're a sweaty mess," Shepard said, tugging at Kaidan's collar. "You can clean up in my quarters." He let his hand fall as the lift dinged at his floor. "I'll grab you a clean towel."

Kaidan grabbed Shepard's arm as the Commander palmed the door release. "Shepard. I need..." he faltered.

And Shepard knew.

~~

Too-hot water gurgled out of the showerhead as Shepard shoved Kaidan against the metal wall. The kiss was all teeth and tongue, as Shepard lapped at the dribble of blood staining Kaidan's cheek.

Normally, Shepard was more than willing to give himself over to Kaidan, more than willing to let someone else take control. And normally, Kaidan was more than happy to fill that role, to give him the direction that he sometimes so desperately needed.

But in this moment, there was only the inhuman strength beneath the warmth of Shepard's skin, the crackle of his biotics beneath the hiss of the water. Blue eyes like a storm rolling in the distance over the ocean, focused solely on Kaidan with feral intensity. Teeth and tongue, dragging over the water-slick skin at his throat.

There was no anger, no frustration. No demon fears nipping at his heels. There was just Shepard, and hot water stinging heated skin.

There was a fumble for the lube, Shepard's chuckle more a low growl as he bit at Kaidan's jaw. Braced between the wall and Shepard's implacable strength, he could only wrap his legs around the Commander's waist, urging him on, deeper and harder.

The only friction between them now, the grind of Shepard's hard stomach and the coarse hairs curling on it against Kaidan's shaft.

Shepard bypassed every bit of self control, every bit of internal firewall Kaidan had, until all he had on his lips was Shepard's name, and then, not even that - only a wordless, animal moan.

Sometimes, they needed a soft place to land when things got tough. 

And as Shepard let them both sink gently to the pooling water in the floor of the shower, Kaidan realised that sometimes, they needed something harder to get them through.


End file.
